PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE DISTRIBUTION
February 17, 2015

Leaders Await Appeal, Urge Those Eligible to Continue to Prepare to Apply for DACA and DAPA

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today the National Hispanic Leadership Agenda (NHLA), a coalition of 39 of the nation's preeminent Latino organizations, condemns a ruling by the Federal District Court for the Southern District of Texas, which will temporarily prevent implementation of President Obama's November, 2014 executive action on immigration. Despite the ruling, NHLA leaders remain confident that the actions will ultimately be upheld on the merits on appeal and urge eligible immigrants to continue gathering the documents needed in anticipation for the expanded DACA and DAPA programs once they are permitted to go forward. Those who already have DACA and are due to renew their status should continue to do so.

"This lawsuit is pure politics and the ruling flies in the face of precedent and the opinion of a wide range of legal scholars. We are very confident that the executive action will be upheld and hope the Fifth Circuit will issue a stay that allows implementation to continue without delay. Most importantly, we encourage the millions of families that will benefit from the President's executive action to not be deterred by this ruling. Justice and the rule of law will ultimately prevail over this cynical and political distraction," said Hector Sanchez, NHLA Chair and Executive Director of the Labor Council for Latin American Advancement.

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